Dear friends, during the Christmas octave that is about to begin, I will leave the familiar framework of the daily interpretations of the Holy Scriptures a little behind me and instead will lay down simple meditations on the Christmas events – together with Christmas songs of the Harpa Dei Choir! I hope that the wonderful event of Christmas can come a little deeper into us! Read More
Lk 1,67-79
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited his people, he has set them free, and he has established for us a saving power in the House of his servant David, just as he proclaimed, by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times, that he would save us from our enemies and from the hands of all those who hate us, and show faithful love to our ancestors, and so keep in mind his holy covenant. Read More
Answering questions
In order to complete the first question of how to lead a contemplative life even in normal circumstances in the world, some elements are repeated, which can help to find a contemplative attitude.
1. To do the various tasks and commitments in the world as work in the Kingdom of God for the Lord.
Answering Questions
Question: How can those who have a “normal” lifestyle become contemplative?
Yesterday we said that the contemplation is a gift of God, which we can prepare through our spiritual path so that the inner transformation can arrive through the Spirit of God.
Thus, a first answer to the question of how to practice contemplation in a normal living environment becomes clear.
Answering Questions
The month is drawing to a close and, as usual, I would like to answer questions from those who follow the speeches on a daily basis. Two of these questions relate directly to spiritual life and therefore fit well into the task of the speeches.
Today, the first question concerns us.
In the context of these reflections on attitudes that make us unfree and which we have to overcome with the help of God, or at least to deal with them in the right way, I refer to the important book by Dietrich von Hildebrand: “The transformation in Christ”. In addition to very good topics covered in it, there is a chapter on “true freedom”, which serves as a background and inspiration for this themes of the last days. This book, as well as other publications by Dietrich von Hildebrand, is also available in English and Spanish. His writings are a true spiritual treasure and help greatly to form the important distinction of spirits, which is so essential, especially in the present time.
The Chamber of the Heart
In the last reflection, I pointed out that, as soon as we have found that strong dynamic persons, leading us a false way, have a negative impact on us and that we cannot resist sufficiently, we should avoid dynamically superior persons. It should be pointed out once again that this is not a matter of cowardice, but of a wise insight into one’s own weakness. However, this must be distinguished well, because there is also a tendency in man to avoid all conflicts in order to protect oneself, to seek a false harmony. Here cowardice can then be the motive, which must be overcome in Christ, for it even dispatches to the denial of the Lord.
The oversized influenceability
This is related to the theme of of human fear, which arises from a general weakness and excessive receptivity to impressions. On 7 and 8 November, we have already considered some aspects of human fear. Some people become internally dependent on others who are purely dynamically superior to them. They take on foreign views, not because they convince them purely objectively, but because they are presented with great force. One usually drops these views after a while, when the immediate contact with the dynamically superior persons has ceased. But for a certain time, the aspect that other people have of certain things displaces one’s own.
The vanity (2)
Spiritual view of vanity
If one now looks with a spiritual view of people, who are strongly determined by vanity, one quickly perceives the specific non-freedom of these people. They are not oriented towards God, but towards themselves, and also make themselves easily dependent on the judgment of other people.
The vanity (1)
Vanity is a very widespread specific form of non-freedom, which is easily underestimated in its negative effect if we follow seriously the Lord. It has many forms, although it may also affect women in particular in terms of appearance.
